This article systematically reviews and verifies the name， origin， production area， quality evaluation， harvesting， processing and other aspects of Cynanchi Atrati Radix et Rhizoma（CARR） by consulting relevant ancient and modern literature， in order to provide a basis for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this herb. Through textual research， Baiwei has been the official name for CARR， though it also bears alternative names such as Chuncao， Popo Zhenxianbao， Longdan Baiwei. The mainstream base is the roots and rhizomes of Cynanchum atratum. Historical records indicate primary producing areas include Shandong， Anhui， Jiangsu， Shaanxi and Shanxi. Since the late Ming dynasty， varieties from Juxian， Yishui and Rizhao in Shandong have been highly regarded as authentic， commonly known as eastern Baiwei. Since modern times， its quality has been summarized as fine， slender， and straight fibrous roots， pale yellow exterior， whiter interior， and dryness with easy breakability are considered superior. The harvesting time before the Song dynasty was on the third day of the third lunar month， but after the Song dynasty， harvesting was possible in both spring and autumn. The initial processing methods of CARR in ancient times included drying in the shade， removing Lu（the little rhizomes which are on tap of roots）， and removing mustaches， modern methods involve washing and sun-drying. During the Northern and Southern dynasties， processing methods included steaming. In the Song dynasty， drying and light stir-frying were predominant， while wine washing emerged in the Ming dynasty. Modern practices primarily involve using raw， stir-frying or honey processing. Regarding the medicinal properties of CARR， both ancient and modern texts agree it has a bitter and salty taste and is non-toxic. Records prior to the Qing dynasty predominantly describe its nature as extremely cold， while mainstream herbal texts after the Qing dynasty generally characterize it as cold. Before the Ming dynasty， there were no records of its meridian tropism. It was not until the Qing dynasty that it was recorded in the lung meridian. Modern records mainly refer to the stomach， liver， and kidney meridians. Throughout history， its main functions have been to clear heat， diuresis， nourish Yin， and replenish essence， primarily treating Yin deficiency and fever syndrome. Based on the research results， it is suggested that when developing famous classical formulas containing CARR， the dried roots and rhizomes of C. atratum can be selected as its medicinal source. If there are no specific processing requirements， raw products can be selected as medicine. If the processing requirements are specified， corresponding processed products can be selected as medicine according to the original formula requirements.

This article systematically analyzes the historical evolution of the name， origin， medicinal parts， producing area， harvesting and processing， nature， flavor and efficacy of Piperis Longi Fructus by referring to the materia medica， medical books， and prescription books of past dynasties， combined with the relevant modern literature， in order to provide a basis for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this herb. According to the herbal textual research， the name of Piper longum first appeared in Nanfang Caomuzhuang， and it also has other aliases such as Biboli， Halou， and Hujiaohua. Historically， the origin of Piperis Longi Fructus has been P. longum of the Piperaceae family. In ancient times， both the fruit and root were used as medicine， and since the Republic of China， the fruit has been mainly used as medicine. The medicinal part is the dried， nearly ripe or ripe fruit spikes. Piperis Longi Fructus is native to India and has been introduced into China since the Tang dynasty. In the Ming dynasty， Bencao Pinhui Jingyao clearly stated that the genuine producing area was "Duanzhou"， present-day Zhaoqing in Guangdong province. Nowadays， it is planted in Guangdong， Guangxi， Hainan， Yunnan and other regions. Historically and currently， harvesting occurs in autumn. The ancient processing method uniformly involved removing the stems， soaking in the sourest vinegar overnight， baking， and scraping off the peels and grains with a knife until clean. In modern times， impurities are removed， and it is dried in the sun and crushed when used. The properties， functions and applications of P. longum are basically the same in ancient and modern times. It tastes pungent， is warm in nature， and non-toxic. It has the effects of warming the middle-jiao to dispel cold， lowering Qi and relieving pain， and is used for cold pain in the epigastrium and abdomen， vomiting， diarrhea， chest pain， headache， and toothache. Based on the research results， it is recommended that when developing famous classical formulas containing Piperis Longi Fructus， the dried nearly ripe or ripe fruit spikes of P. longum should be used. If there are no clear processing requirements， it is recommended to use the raw products for medicinal use， and the specific processing methods can refer to the relevant requirements under Piperis Longi Fructus in the 2025 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. If processing requirements such as soaking in vinegar and peeling are clearly specified， it is recommended to follow the ancient methods.

This article systematically analyzes the historical evolution of the name， origin， medicinal parts， producing area， harvesting and processing， nature， flavor and efficacy of Piperis Longi Fructus by referring to the materia medica， medical books， and prescription books of past dynasties， combined with the relevant modern literature， in order to provide a basis for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this herb. According to the herbal textual research， the name of Piper longum first appeared in Nanfang Caomuzhuang， and it also has other aliases such as Biboli， Halou， and Hujiaohua. Historically， the origin of Piperis Longi Fructus has been P. longum of the Piperaceae family. In ancient times， both the fruit and root were used as medicine， and since the Republic of China， the fruit has been mainly used as medicine. The medicinal part is the dried， nearly ripe or ripe fruit spikes. Piperis Longi Fructus is native to India and has been introduced into China since the Tang dynasty. In the Ming dynasty， Bencao Pinhui Jingyao clearly stated that the genuine producing area was "Duanzhou"， present-day Zhaoqing in Guangdong province. Nowadays， it is planted in Guangdong， Guangxi， Hainan， Yunnan and other regions. Historically and currently， harvesting occurs in autumn. The ancient processing method uniformly involved removing the stems， soaking in the sourest vinegar overnight， baking， and scraping off the peels and grains with a knife until clean. In modern times， impurities are removed， and it is dried in the sun and crushed when used. The properties， functions and applications of P. longum are basically the same in ancient and modern times. It tastes pungent， is warm in nature， and non-toxic. It has the effects of warming the middle-jiao to dispel cold， lowering Qi and relieving pain， and is used for cold pain in the epigastrium and abdomen， vomiting， diarrhea， chest pain， headache， and toothache. Based on the research results， it is recommended that when developing famous classical formulas containing Piperis Longi Fructus， the dried nearly ripe or ripe fruit spikes of P. longum should be used. If there are no clear processing requirements， it is recommended to use the raw products for medicinal use， and the specific processing methods can refer to the relevant requirements under Piperis Longi Fructus in the 2025 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. If processing requirements such as soaking in vinegar and peeling are clearly specified， it is recommended to follow the ancient methods.

ObjectiveTo review the current application status， practical challenges， and ethical issues of artificial intelligence （AI） in the field of hospice care， and to conduct a critical evaluation， with a view to offering a reference for promoting the deep integration of AI into clinical hospice care practice in China. MethodsRelevant domestic and international literature was retrieved to comprehensively analyze the application scenarios of AI in hospice care， the practical barriers encountered， and the ethical controversies， and to explore clinical optimization pathways. ResultsAI is gradually transforming the traditional service model of hospice care， with its applications primarily focusing on patient monitoring， symptom management， predictive analytics， clinical decision support， and other aspects. However， its development faced significant practical constraints and complex ethical challenges. ConclusionWhile AI holds immense potential to enhance the quality of hospice care， its application must be grounded in a core ethical framework centered on dignity， empathy， and patient autonomy. Relevant international explorations have been relatively extensive， whereas domestic studies remain in their infancy. Future research urgently warrants an in-depth exploration of the ethical and practical challenges to find localized integration pathways suited to China’s national context.

Purpose: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-low breast cancer has the potential to emerge as a distinct subtype. Several studies have compared the differences between HER2-low and HER2-0 breast cancers, but no consensus has been reached.Additionally, a biomarker to predict pathological complete response (pCR) rates in patients with HER2-low breast cancer remains to be identified. Methods: We collected data from 777 patients across three centers, stratifying them into HER2-low and HER2-0 groups. We compared differences in survival and pCR rates between the two groups and investigated potential biomarkers that could reliably predict pCR. Results: The study found that patients with HER2-0 breast cancer had higher pCR rates compared to patients with HER2-low tumors (289 patients [30.1%] vs. 475 patients [18.1%], p < 0.0001). Survival analysis showed no significant advantage for HER2-low tumors over HER2-0 breast cancers. Binary logistic analysis revealed that androgen receptor (AR) expression predicts poorer pCR rates in both the overall patient group and the HER2-0 breast cancer group (overall patients: odds ratio [OR], 0.479; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.250–0.917; p = 0.026 and HER2-0 patients: OR, 0.267; 95% CI, 0.080–0.892; p = 0.032). In contrast, programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression was associated with more favorable pCR rates in the overall patient group (OR, 3.199; 95% CI, 1.020–10.037; p = 0.046). Conclusion There is currently insufficient evidence to classify HER2-low breast cancer as a distinct subtype. Our study revealed that AR expression, along with negative PD-L1 expression, contributes to lower pCR rates.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of Liuwei Dihuang Capsules for type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)with yin deficiency syndrome and the effects on intestinal flora and inflammatory factors.Methods Totally 60 patients of T2DM with yin deficiency syndrome in Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from September 2022 to June 2023 were selected as the study objects,and were divided into control group and observation group according to the method of block randomization,with 30 cases in each group.Both groups received basic treatment.The control group was given a simulated agent of Liuwei Dihuang Capsules,while the observation group was given Liuwei Dihuang Capsules.The treatment course for both groups was 4 weeks.Clinical efficacy,blood glucose levels[fasting plasma glucose(FPG),2-hour postprandial plasma glucose(2 hPG),glycated albumin(GA)],serum insulin levels[fasting insulin(FINS)and insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR)],changes in gut microbiota,and serum inflammatory cytokine levels[interleukin(IL)-6,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α]of both groups were compared.Results The total effective rate of the observation group(76.67%)was better than that of the control group(50.00%)(P<0.05).Compared with before treatment,the FPG,2 hPG,GA,FINS and HOMA-IR decreased in the observation group,while the FPG,2 hPG and FINS decreased in the control group(P<0.05);after treatment,the Shannon index of the observation group increased after treatment(P<0.05),and the diversity of the microbiota increased;the abundance of the microbial communities such as Coprococcus 3,Cutibacterium,Pseudomonas,Faecalibaculum,Dubosiella and Mucispirillum significantly increased(P<0.05);the abundance of Sphingomonas,Corynebacterium 1,Ileibacterium,Ruminiclostridium and other microbiota communities significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with before treatment,the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in both groups were significantly reduced after treatment(P<0.01,P<0.05).After treatment,the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Liuwei Dihuang Capsules can effectively reduce blood glucose levels in patients of T2DM with yin deficiency syndrome,improve insulin resistance,increase gut microbiota diversity,increase beneficial bacterial abundance,reduce harmful bacterial abundance,and alleviate inflammatory cytokine levels.

Objective:To investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of Stat3 knockout in donor T cells on acute gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease (GI-aGVHD) .Methods:BALB/c mice were exposed to lethal irradiation and transplanted with bone marrow and spleen cells from BALB/c mice (syngeneic control group), C57BL/6 mice (wild-type T cell group, WT group), or C57BL/6J-Stat3 em1cyagen mice (Stat3 gene knockout T cell group, Stat3-KO group) via tail vein injection to establish the aGVHD model. The survival rate, body weight changes, and clinical scores of mice were monitored. Cytometric bead array (CBA) was used to detect the concentrations of serum cytokines. Lymphocytes were isolated from tissues for flow cytometric analysis. H&E staining was performed to observe intestinal pathological changes. FITC-dextran assay was conducted to assess intestinal permeability. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expression of Ki67 and Muc2. Real-Time Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was employed to analyze the gene expression levels of Olfm4, Lysozyme, and Muc2 in the small intestine. Metabolomics was conducted to detect metabolites in serum and intestinal tissues. An in vitro GI-aGVHD organoid model was established by coculturing intestinal organoids with allogeneic T cells, where the number and area of small intestinal organoids were recorded. The GVL effect was assessed using luciferase-transfected ALL cells (ALL/Luc) and bioluminescent imaging. Results:Compared with the WT group, Stat3 knockout T cells alleviated body weight loss, reduced symptoms—such as hunchback and diarrhea—in mice, improved survival rate ( P<0.05), and reduced serum interleukin (IL) -2, IL-6, interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-17A, and IL-10 levels (all P<0.05), intestinal inflammatory cell infiltration ( P<0.05), and intestinal mucosal permeability. Further, Muc2 and Ki67 expression levels in the small intestine of the Stat3 knockout group were markedly increased, and Olfm4, Lysozyme, and Muc2 gene expression levels were significantly increased (all P<0.05). In vitro, the Stat3 knockout group demonstrated better organoid development than the WT group. Metabolomic analyses indicated that Stat3 knockout in T cells may affect the pathways associated with bile acid secretion and unsaturated fatty acids. ALL/Luc cells in the GVL mouse model proliferated rapidly in the TCD-BM group; however, 80% of the mice in the Stat3-KO group survived tumor-free for >100 days ( P<0.05) . Conclusion:Knocking out Stat3 in graft T cells reduces T cell damage to intestinal stem cells, thereby ultimately alleviating GI-aGVHD while maintaining a stable GVL effect.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological and genetic characteristics of malignant transformation of polyostotic fibrous dysplasia (FD) in long bone.Methods:A retrospective analysis of clinical characteristics and morphological features was conducted from 4 cases of malignant transformation of FD diagnosed at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from January 2016 to December 2023. Hotspot mutations for GNAS gene were tested in 4 cases by Sanger sequencing, in which both FD and malignant tissues were detected in 3 cases respectively.Results:There were 2 female and 2 male patients, aged 46 to 53 years [mean (49±3.2) years], and the course of the disease spanned from 2 months to 36 years. The tumor involved the femur ( n=2), tibia ( n=1) and humerus ( n=1). Three of them were diagnosed with FD before surgery. Single photon emission computed tomography showed multiple increases in bone metabolism, CT showed poorly margin, cortical destruction and soft tissue mass with uneven enhancement. Three cases had both FD and sarcoma components, while the remaining case exhibited exclusively sarcoma. The sarcomas displayed significant morphological variation, with 1 case diagnosed as osteosarcoma and 3 cases classified as low to high grade spindle cell sarcoma. Immunohistochemical results did not provide any indications for clear classification. Sanger sequencing demonstrated GNAS mutations of p.R201H (c.CGT>CAT, n=2) and p.R201C (c.CGT>TGT, n=2). All 4 cases were followed-up for 18 to 76 months, and received chemotherapy after surgery; 2 cases maintained disease-free, one case was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer through a core needle biopsy 3 months after chemotherapy, and another one was found to relapse 18 months after surgery. Conclusions:Some cases of polyostotic FD occur in association with café-au-lait macules and/or endocrine hyperfunctioning in McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS); polyostotic FD and MAS have more malignant potential than monostotic FD, but they are not the risk factors for FD malignancy. GNAS mutations may be involved in the occurrence and development of FD. The histologic types of malignant transformation of polyostotic FD in long bone are diverse, the sarcoma components of FD also present the GNAS mutation, suggesting potential involvement in the pathogenesis of FD malignancy.

Objective:To explore the effectiveness of robotic implant technology in the postgraduate education of implant dentistry.Methods:The teaching method that combines of theory and model manipulation was used to teach 20 postgraduate students. After completing the theoretical course of implant dentistry, all students performed free hand, digital template, and dental implant robot implant surgery on the simulation jaw models. At the end of the course, an error analysis of the three and a feedback questionnaire distributed to the students were conducted in order to assess the effectiveness of the dental implant robot.Results:Compared to the freehand [2.45(1.1) mm,2.80(0.88) mm,4.95°(2.68°)] and digital template group [1.25(0.68) mm,2.00(0.90) mm, 3.35°(1.60°)], the dental robot implant group had smaller values for implant platform deviation, apical deviation and angular deviation [0.29(0.08) mm,0.26(0.20) mm,0.72°(0.13°)], and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.001). The results of the questionnaire showed that dental implant robot helps to ensure the accuracy and safety of the implanting process and stimulates students′ interest in learning. Conclusions:At postgraduate level, the safety and accuracy of the implantation process was effectively improved and good teaching result achieved by introducing dental implant robot into the process of dental implant training.

Objective To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status(RBANS)in patients with maintenance hemodialysis(MHD).Methods The general information and medical history of 84 MHD patients were collected,and the Mini-Mental State Exam(MMSE),Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale(MoCA),and RBANS were conducted.The reliability of the scale was assessed by Cronbach α and split-half reliability.The structure and convergent validity of the scale were assessed by confirmatory factor analysis,and the RBANS scores'correlation to MoCA and MMSE scores was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis.The predictive value of the RBANS total score on cognitive impairment(CI)was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the RBANS total scale was 0.896,split-half reliability was 0.911,and reliability for the five dimensions of the RBANS ranged from 0.618 to 0.791.Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the overall fit of the five-dimensional model of the RBANS scale was acceptable(χ2/df=1.587,root mean square error of approximation=0.084,comparative fit index=0.967,incremental fit index=0.968,Tucker-Lewis index=0.947,goodness of fit index=0.891).The average variance extracted(AVE)for the five dimensions of the RBANS ranged from 0.525 to 0.863,while the composite reliability(CR)ranged from 0.733 to 0.926,indicating good convergent validity of the scale.Furthermore,Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the total RBANS score was negatively correlated to the age of MHD patients and positively correlated to years of education,as well as the total scores of MMSE and MoCA(all P<0.01).The ROC curve analysis indicated that the area under the curve(AUC)for the total RBANS score in predicting CI was 0.891(P<0.01),suggesting a high predictive value.Conclusion The Chinese version of RBANS has good reliability and validity in MHD patients,and can be used as a measure of cognitive function in MHD patients.